1683 Senator
Brown: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign
Affairs—

(1) What is the Government’s current assessment of the situation
in Zimbabwe compared with its assessment at the time of the last Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

(2) What action will the Government be requesting at the next CHOGM,
scheduled for December 2003, in relation to Zimbabwe’s possible re-admission
to the Commonwealth.

(3) Does the Government support Zimbabwe’s expulsion from the Commonwealth.

(4) What other options are open if the Commonwealth fails to take appropriate
action to improve the situation in Zimbabwe; could options include action
by the United Nations and coalitions of countries.

(5) Would Australia be willing to send a delegation of election supervisors
to Zimbabwe if the electoral challenge by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
in November 2003 is successful.

1684 Senator
Brown: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for the
Environment and Heritage—With reference to the answer to question
on notice no. 1370 concerning the northern peninsula of Research Bay,
Tasmania, in which it was stated that ‘sites are currently being assessed
by the Tasmanian Heritage Council’:

(1) Is the Minister aware that the Tasmanian Heritage Council has resolved
that ‘the onus of providing information which would be considered
in establishing significance was a matter for the nominator(s) and accordingly
it [the Heritage Council] would not be carrying out any further research’.

(2) Given the potential and international significance of the area,
does the Minister consider it adequate for an assessment by the Tasmanian
Heritage Council to rely on the efforts of volunteer members of the
community.

(3) In relation to the assessment and protection of the northern peninsula
of Research Bay: (a) what communication has the Commonwealth had with
the Tasmanian Government, Gunns Pty Ltd and the owners of relevant land;
and (b) can details be provided of correspondence and meetings, including
the parties involved, dates and the matters discussed.

1687 Senator
Brown: To ask the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural
and Indigenous Affairs—

(1) What is the policy of Australasian Correctional Management (ACM)
regarding the care of children who are left unattended when their parent
is, or parents are, placed in isolation units for lengthy periods.

(2) Are any ACM staff trained professional child care workers.

(3) Can the Minister clarify why one detainee was locked into an isolation
cell that had to be drilled open, as shown on the ABC Four Corners program
during May 2003.

(4) Why have all the Woomera DC 2000 and most of the Villawood DC 2001
medical files of the detainee Mohammad Hassan Sabbagh, who suffered
a mental breakdown and has been held in detention since December 1999,
disappeared.

(5) (a) What is the ratio of staff to detainees in all centres; and
(b) is this ratio uniform.

(6) What does the Minister propose to do with the long-term detainees
who cannot be returned to their country of birth, for example, stateless
Kuwaitis.

(7) Given that the Government has been unable to deport the detainee
Hassan Sabbagh, who has been held for more than three and a half years,
to Iraq, why can he not be released into the care of willing community
support groups, such as the Jesuit Refugee Services or the Uniting Church,
rather than burdening the taxpayer unnecessarily.

1697 Senator
Bishop: To ask the Minister for Defence—

(1) With reference to the discussion and recommendations of the March
1999 Review of Military Compensation by Mr N Tanzer AO, what progress
has been made on the development of a premium-based model for the Australian
Defence Force (ADF).

(2) What is the current estimated liability of the Military Compensation
Scheme.

(3) For each of the past 3 years, what total sum has been paid by way
of: (a) lump sums for permanent impairment; and (b) incapacity payments
to current and discharged personnel.

(4) For each of the past 3 years: (a) what total sum has been paid
under Defence Act Determinations; and (b) to how many recipients.

(5) How many ADF personnel have died as a result of service-related
injuries in each of the past 3 years.

(6) What claims, by injury group, for compensation by ADF personnel
deployed to the Iraq operations during 2003 have been: (a) made; and
(b) accepted; under the Military Compensation Scheme.

(6) What claims, by injury group, for compensation by ADF personnel
deployed to the Iraq operations during 2003 have been: (a) made; and
(b) accepted; under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.